


Squad Trade

by Nako13yeh



Series: Special Little Brother & Failed Big Brother [5]
Category: Black Clover - Tabata Yuki (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon, Bad Ideas, Developing Friendships, Finral thinks it might be fun!, Fluff and Humor, Gen, Langris hates this!, Trust Issues, Warm and Fuzzy Feelings
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-18
Updated: 2020-07-13
Packaged: 2021-03-02 19:06:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,691
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24231805
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nako13yeh/pseuds/Nako13yeh
Summary: Julius proposes a squad trade so the Magic Knights learn how to be more comfortable working with other squads. Someone has to set an example and Julius knows who to contact. He leaves the decision up to Yami and Vangeance. They already know who to volunteer.Now Finral and Langris are stuck working for the opposite squad.
Relationships: Finral Roulacase & Langris Vaude
Series: Special Little Brother & Failed Big Brother [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1594798
Comments: 80
Kudos: 259
Collections: IAmStoryteller's Best of Black Clover Fic Rec





	1. Proposition

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ((Set a year before Langris becomes vice-captain))

Marx looked uncomfortable.

He stood next to Julius, the only one happy at this time of day. They had called the two most recently promoted captains, Vangeance and Yami, to the office. They responded in haste, thinking there was danger. Marx wasn’t sure how to break it to them that this was just another one of Julius’ _brilliant_ ideas.

“Thank you for coming here at short notice.” Julius chuckled. “I wouldn’t have asked if it wasn’t necessary.”

Yami just stared at him. “What’s this about?”

“I assure you, it’s an easy task.”

Marx wanted to grimace. He had gone over this with Julius several days prior. He could see the benefit of the whole idea, but he wasn’t sure it was that easy to implement. Marx knew the minds of the people, more so the minds of their military after working with them for so long; they weren’t as open to change or sharing… especially not with them competing for merits.

“Lord Julius,” Vangeance spoke. “What do we have to do?”

Julius chuckled. “There are times when we need to work together with different squads during missions. I may have come up with a solution.”

“And what’s that?” Yami wondered.

“I want to introduce a system where one can borrow a team member from a different squad to aid the mission assigned to them.”

“Haven’t we done this before?”

“We have, Yami.” Julius nodded, raising a finger to make a point. “But I want this to _not_ only be as a last resort, but as a _permanent_ mindset. There have been times when a squad doesn’t have the necessary requirements of a mage in their team to have an advantage. This may just help.”

Yami mumbled, “Won’t that cause more problems?”

“I hope not.” He nervously chuckled. “Of course, this is just a trial. I do have an idea about the system and the payment methods should it become a success.”

“I can see the benefits,” Vangeance smiled. “It sounds wonderful.”

“Sounds like a pain.” Yami huffed. “What’s in it for us?”

Marx wanted to speak out that this might not end as well as they hoped. Julius was far too comfortable with the situation, probably because he trusted Yami and Vangeance too much. Of course, Julius was adamant about seeing this through. He sighed when Julius picked up two pieces of paper from his drawer and laid them on the table. He turned them around for the two captains to look over.

They picked it up and stared at it.

“What’s this?” Yami asked.

“You want us to give volunteers from our squad,” Vangeance clarified. “Is that correct?”

Julius nodded. “I want to utilize the minimum number of your squads to our advantage before having it done to a far larger group, like the Purple Orcas or the Crimson Lions and the Silver Eagles.”

“Forgive me, Lord Julius.” Vangeance pressed his lips into a thin line. “But our squads aren’t exactly… _balanced.”_

“Just say it,” Yami snorted. “You can’t even call my team a squad.”

“Differences in number aside,” Julius said in all seriousness. “This is an experiment to get our Magic Knights to be more comfortable around each other without their fuel for competition. Stars or merits aside, both teams involved will be given compensation if the mission is proven successful; which is why I called you here. Both of you must set an example for your team members.”

“May I ask,” Vangeance said. “How long will this last?”

“Two to three days at maximum.”

“That’s acceptable.”

“What’s in it for us again?” Yami asked. “Besides terrifying the poor volunteer?”

Julius laughed. Marx paled, because this was just another excuse to probably see the world burn. Julius grinned, “I’m sure you’ll both find this experience amusing and educational. I will also award you stars should this prove successful or not, just for the effort and compliance. But the volunteers you choose will reflect on you, so please be mindful on who you write on the paper.”

“Fine by me.” Yami shrugged.

Vangeance wondered, “Do you know who to volunteer?”

“Yeah,” He snickered. “He’s a stickler for the rules, so he won’t cause you any trouble. You?”

“I think this will prove gamesome,” He replied. “But they like a challenge.”

Marx watched as the two captains walked to the table, papers in hand. Julius was already smiling and offering them both a pen each. Marx closed his eyes and took a deep breath. This wasn’t going to end well, but Julius insisted it was for the best. Sometimes Marx wanted to wring his own neck for indulging some of Julius’ ridiculous ideas, but then again, Julius was always right about these things.

He knew not to doubt him, but often times, it was just too much.

The captains signed the papers and Julius thanked them.

“I’ll make the arrangements tomorrow,” He grinned. “So expect to see the two you volunteered in each other’s squads.”

Once they left, Julius chuckled.

“You’re enjoying this,” Marx voiced. “May I know why?”

Julius handed him the papers.

Marx read it. “Squad trade volunteers… Golden Dawn: _Langris Vaude_ … and—” He nearly choked. He looked at Julius, who was still smiling. “Black Bulls: _Finral Vaude.”_

Julius laughed, “I think this will work out.”

No, Marx thought it might not.

* * *

**oOo**

“You volunteered me?!” Finral cried out. “How can you volunteer me?!”

“You should be happy.” Yami said, lighting up a cigarette. “Didn’t you say you barely go out to play or do something for the squad? This is it. So start packing. You’re going.”

“I meant _on_ the field! You could have asked me first!”

“I’m telling you now. What’s the difference?”

“What’s the differ—?” Finral took a deep breath. “Who is going to port you to places you want to be at? Who will do the treasury? What about the reports?”

“Doesn’t matter.”

“Doesn’t matter?” He whined. “Yami, do you hear yourself?”

“We’ll miss you, Finral!” Vanessa slurred, completely drunk on the couch. She kicked her legs and playfully raised the empty bottle of wine. “Don’t forget us… so come visit us from time to time, okay? Don’t terrorize the girls too much…”

“Don’t be quick to say goodbye,” Yami laughed. “He’ll only be gone for two to three days.”

“You’re horrible,” Finral pouted. “I don’t want to go.”

“Too bad.”

“Good Luck, Finral.” Vanessa giggled. “We’ll miss you.”

“I don’t know why you’re happy!” Finral cried out. “Someone is going to replace me for three days!”

“It’ll be fine.” Yami leaned back on the couch opposite Vanessa’s. “Captain Shiny is going to send someone that won’t ruin his reputation as a captain. Why do you think I sent you instead of anyone else in this room?”

“Hey,” Vanessa whined.

Finral snickered at that. “Okay, I can forgive you a little.” Then he wondered, “Who will you be trading me for?”

“Beats me.” Yami shrugged. “Some poor sap, I guess…”

“You didn’t ask?”

“Didn’t matter.”

Finral made a face and a rude comment. “How is it possible that you’re a functioning captain?” Then he started panicking. “Why aren’t you worried about this?!”

Yami rolled his eyes. “You really think that volunteer would survive making a mess on my turf? I’ve turned guys to mush for less.” Okay, so Yami made a good point. “As for you,” Yami huffed. “I know you won’t cause trouble, but try to keep out of it anyway.”

Vanessa hiccupped, “We’re counting on you, Finral.”

“Ugh!” Finral ruffled his hair. “I’m not forgiving you if I come out of this injured!”

“You won’t,” Yami said. “Trust me.”

* * *

**oOo**

“A trade?” Langris repeated.

“I’m sorry for telling you this at such short notice.” Vangeance sighed. “I volunteered you because not only will this encourage you to work with others, but it will also help you gain enough experience to handle the responsibilities should you be promoted even higher than your current rank.”

Langris nodded. “I see the benefit of the Wizard King’s idea.”

“I’m glad.” Vangeance smiled. “Does this mean you are in agreement?”

“Agreement?” He repeated.

“Let me clarify. This is a trial. You’re not obligated to go through with it if you don’t want to. I just want to know if you’re up to the task because I already wrote your name, if not I could find someone—”

“I’ll do it.” Langris answered. “I was merely surprised.”

He wasn’t happy about it, but the fact that Vangeance trusted him made him reconsider. This was a huge opportunity to get more merits. He was gaining rank faster than anyone his age. He had also been through several deadly missions; a simple squad exchange didn’t matter to him.

“For how long?” Langris wondered.

“Two to three days.”

Langris nodded, but he had a question. He was _curious._ There was a possibility that he would be working with Finral for three days. That would actually make things a lot easier because they were familiar with each other. It was also an opportunity for him to see Finral’s… living conditions.

“Captain Vangeance.” He called.

“Yes?”

“Who is the volunteer from the Black Bulls?”

“I never saw what Yami wrote and we never spoke of it.” Vangeance said. “But you will find out tomorrow after Lord Julius makes his arrangements. If I recall, your older brother is in the Black Bulls.”

Langris nodded to that.

“Then you will be in safe hands.” He smiled. “Try to enjoy your stay there, Langris.”

“I’ll try,” Langris assured. “But I’m not sure the Black Bulls will make it easy.”

“Yami is there,” Vangeance declared. “I’m sure you’ll be fine.”

Somehow, Langris disagreed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please review and tell me what you think~ Thank you!


	2. Reactions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is so fun to write... you don't know how much~ xD

Vanessa yawned and rubbed her eyes.

She had a late night after helping Finral pack some of his belongings. It was really just Vanessa’s excuse to spend time with her dear friend and hear him complain about Yami’s abrupt decisions. She quickly made her way to the common room and found Yami flipping through his newspaper.

“Is Finral already gone?”

“He left this morning.” Yami replied. “You worried?”

“No,” She shook her head. “I’m actually more worried about his stand-in.”

“I’m sure they’ll keep out of trouble.”

Vanessa nodded and sat opposite of Yami next to the bar. She was wearing more clothes than usual because Finral asked her to make an effort and not traumatize whoever the other volunteer was. Actually, Finral had practically begged majority of the Bulls to be decent, Yami included. Finral argued that they had enough bad reputation to last them a life time, so they did promise to try.

“Is Gauche coming back from his mission?” Vanessa asked. “He’s the only one that isn’t here.”

“Probably not.” Yami huffed. “He’s probably busy beating people up.”

“I suppose it doesn’t make a difference.”

“Why not?”

“He’s not exactly a social person.”

“Look behind you,” Yami snorted. “Neither are they.”

Vanessa turned and saw Grey and Gordon enter the room. They took a seat on the long couch. Vanessa giggled, because Yami was right. She greeted her two comrades a good morning. Gordon waved back and muttered a hello while Grey transformed with a puff of smoke that made Vanessa laugh.

“Do you miss him, Grey?”

“It’s not the same without Finral.”

“No.” Vanessa smiled, clearly amused. “It’s not.”

Grey managed to get Finral down from his looks to his voice and that certain _whine_ in his tone. Despite being mysterious, Grey had always been playful. Vanessa tried her hardest to smother another laugh when Grey leaned back on the couch and hugged their body, looking like a picture of misery.

“I don’t want to leave.” Grey mimicked Finral’s complaints from yesterday. “It’s not fair.”

“We’re not going to replace him, Grey.” Vanessa assured.

“We’re not?” Grey perked up.

“No,” She chuckled, still looking at Finral’s form. “It’ll only be for a couple of days. Finral just likes to complain. But you should drop the transformation. Finral’s not going to like it if you start doing something when the stand-in gets here.”

“Is it a girl?”

Yami snorted at that one. “Good one, Grey.”

Vanessa let out a chuckle. Sometimes Grey was so observant to the point that they were able to copy anyone from their mannerisms to their habits and predict what they might say. But it was an obvious line that would come from Finral anyway.

“Don’t let Finral know you were teasing him while he’s not here,” Vanessa said. “If you’re bored, you’re more than welcome to copy me.”

Grey transformed with another puff of smoke.

This time, they transformed into Vanessa, wearing nothing but underwear and the Black Bull’s robe. The real Vanessa started laughing. Yami stared at them. The clear expression on his face radiated: _They’re weirdos, but they’re mine._ Yami went back to reading his newspaper when Charmy came in.

“Good morning!” She greeted. “Food is almost ready!”

“Thank you, Charmy.” Vanessa smiled.

“Do you have any wine?” Grey mimicked. “I’m starving.”

Charmy let one of her sheep hand a bottle over to Grey, but Grey only held it to somewhat perfect their copy of Vanessa’s image. Vanessa snickered. Honestly. Grey was hilarious sometimes. Vanessa was surprised when Charmy sauntered over to her and tugged her robe.

“What is it, Charmy?”

“What time will the stand-in get here?” She asked. “Will they have breakfast with us?”

“Should be any time soon.” Yami huffed, closing his newspaper. “They’re probably still at Julius’ office. Better get everything ready before they get here. Wouldn’t want Finral to start tearing his hair out if he hears we killed the new guy after they get here.”

“Roger!” Charmy saluted. “I’ll wake up Henry and make more food.”

Charmy sauntered away and Vanessa hummed.

“Something wrong?” Yami asked.

“Captain,” Vanessa muttered. “Do you think they’re anything like Finral?”

Yami snorted. “Wouldn’t count on it.”

* * *

**oOo**

Letoile narrowed her eyes in annoyance.

Breakfast was supposed to be relaxing, not stressful. The glistening chandeliers and the soft rays of the morning sun, brushing through the arched windows into the billowing white curtains should’ve been enough to relax her.

Instead, she had to sit at a table with David.

She tried to calm herself and eat her meal in silence. It wasn’t the idle chatter around her that irritated her. It was David’s dice. The rattling sounds of the dice flipping over the table made her want to strangle him. The lost look on David’s face as he lost sense of reality was also getting on her nerves. When David spun the dice again, Letoile’s hand snatched it away and pocketed it.

“Hey!” David cried out. “Why did you take it?”

“Because you’re annoying.”

“I can’t help it!” He mumbled. “I’m just worried.”

“Hamon and I are trying to eat in peace.” Letoile said as she stabbed a piece of meat from her plate to make a statement. “Isn’t that right, Hamon?”

“Yes, of course. He’s distracting us from the most important meal of the day.” Hamon chuckled as he mixed several delicacies from the four plates he had on the table. It was almost enough to make both Letoile and David sick. “But I wouldn’t worry too much. I’m sure the volunteer will try to be decent.”

“I’m not following.” Letoile said. “What are you two going on about?”

“Haven’t you heard?” David gasped.

“If I did, I wouldn’t be asking.”

“Langris is being transferred to the Black Bulls!”

“Transferred?”

“Temporarily,” Hamon clarified for her as he took a bite of his food. “I wouldn’t worry so much. We’ll hear the whole thing during Captain Vangeance’s speech. Apparently, it’s supposed to be a secret, but someone overheard Eleanor and Philippe when they were ordered to prepare the main hall.”

Letoile urged, “About what?”

“They spoke about a squad trade.” David answered. “But only between the Golden Dawn and the Black Bulls. Captain Vangeance volunteered Langris to be his representative and no one knows who the other volunteer is.”

“And you know all of this from Eleanor and Philippe?”

“No, they’re Senior Knights and we’re not friends.” He snorted. “You know how difficult it is to keep a secret when your friends have friends. Besides, this is big news! It’s not every day you get to hear someone get transferred to another squad because of a temporary squad trade.”

“Really?” Letoile crossed her arms. “Where did you hear it from?”

“Alecdora and his friends weren’t exactly quiet.” Hamon answered for him. “I heard it from them when they were walking by the fountain. I think they were angry that Captain Vangeance trusted Langris to be his representative.”

“I heard them too.” David pointed. “They were very angry!”

“Who exactly?” Letoile asked.

“Patel, Mistrand, and Gavit were pretty vocal about it.”

“That’s foolish.” Letoile rolled her eyes. “We all know there’s a possibility of Langris getting promoted to vice-captain. He’s high noble, and it’s not as if this is the first time Captain Vangeance made him his representative. He’s training him. Why do you think he’s always hanging out with the Captain, for Leisure?”

David shrugged. “Don’t look at me like that. I just hear things.”

“Do you know that you’re part of the problem?”

“What problem?”

“Gossip.”

“It’s news!” He defended. “I can’t help it if I’m shocked!”

“I’m sure it’ll be fine.” Hamon chuckled as he ate another bite from his plate. “Captain Vangeance won’t let a Black Bull make a mess in the Golden Dawn. Besides, it’s only one among an entire squad. If I have to worry, I would worry about them getting Langris.”

David started laughing.

Letoile palmed her face.

Whoever thought this was a good idea was probably insane.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please review and tell me what you think~ Thank you!


	3. Switch

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long delay. Work has been tedious and hasn't given me enough time to write even through my spare time. But I'm back, and here you guys go. :3

Marx was starting to wonder if this job was a punishment.

He had never experienced stress like this, not even from a battlefield. _Tension_ , in a completely safe room, was not something he expected first thing in the morning. There was also an awkward silence as the Vaude brothers stood next to each other.

Both were pretending everything was fine.

 _“Why is it always me?”_ Marx wondered. _“And where is Lord Julius?”_

Marx thought Julius had a little more restraint not to take one of his early morning jaunts. Julius knew the volunteers would be early. _It just wasn’t fair._ This was highly unprofessional and a little embarrassing given how high noble the Vaude family was.

He had to congratulate them for making the experience twice as horrible.

The moment Finral and Langris’ eyes met, Marx knew he was right when he thought this was a bad idea. It only solidified when the two greeted each other in shock, with the exclamation of _“I’m replacing you?!”_ but after they realized Marx was within hearing distance, they shut their mouths.

Marx wasn’t sure he could last an hour or two with them.

Too awkward.

“If I may ask,” Finral started. “When will the Wizard King arrive?”

Marx paled. “Lord Julius is attending urgent matters.”

“How urgent?” Langris clarified.

“Not as urgent to need the attention of our Magic Knights.” He nervously chuckled as his eyes darted to the door. “If you’ll excuse me, I’ll check if Lord Julius is done with his— _tasks_ for the morning.” He disliked lying to good people, but it was better than letting the Knights know that Julius was off prancing around the Clover Kingdom looking for the unknown.

It was unprofessional.

“Excuse me.” Marx declared. “I’ll leave you two for a moment.”

As quickly as he could, he made his way out of the door.

* * *

**oOo**

Langris grimaced and turned to Finral, who was trying his hardest to disappear into the background. It wasn’t working. It might’ve if there were more people, but with the two of them inside a very silent room, his older brother was very hard to miss.

“So it’s you,” He stated.

Finral wondered, “Why does it sound like you’re disappointed?”

Langris shrugged in dismissal.

“No reason.”

He tried to stop his cheeks from turning red when another bout of silence came between them. Langris was more or less looking forward to his brother making his stay with the Bulls easier. Now, he wasn’t sure what to feel now that Finral will be filling in for him.

“Why _did_ you volunteer?”

“Actually,” Finral mumbled. “I didn’t.”

“Meaning?”

“Yami kind of… spontaneously volunteered me.” He chuckled nervously and timidly rubbed his forearm. “I only found out yesterday. What about you? Did Captain Vangeance recommend you?”

“He thought it was a good idea.” Langris huffed. “Who am I to question the words of my captain?”

Finral nodded to that and another awkward silence came between them. It gave Langris enough time to think. Yami volunteered Finral. That didn’t sound so absurd. Langris knew Finral was a pushover that even his own captain turned him into an errand boy… and his brother was basically known as the Bull’s pack mule.

How sad.

But Langris understood why Finral, out of all the Black Bulls, was chosen.

His brother was raised high noble; who better than to represent their squad than him? Yet, it didn’t comfort Langris to know this. Deep down, Finral was faulty. His brother was a decent human being compared to the others, but he was still one of them. He was lazy and fake, and all of his bad habits were overlooked; that wasn’t a good thing.

“Langris,” Finral called. “Do… do you want any advice?”

“Why would I?” He glared. “Are you saying I can’t handle myself?”

“What?! No! I only meant—”

“Do you realize I rank higher than you?!”

Finral paled and raised his hand in defense. “I just meant that my squad is completely different from the Golden Dawn and I thought you might want to know something about them… before you go there. I swear I never meant anything by it.”

“No, thank you.” Langris grumbled. “I think I can handle less than a dozen members.”

“If… if you say so.”

Langris grimaced when Finral dropped the subject. So much for casual banter that Langris was used to; honestly, Finral gave up too easily. It wasn’t fun to watch him stand there looking like a kicked puppy. He rolled his eyes and scowled. He really shouldn’t encourage his brother’s bad behavior just because he was used to it.

“What is taking them so long?” He impatiently asked.

“Do you think it’s an emergency?” Finral wondered as he stared at the door. “The Wizard King is usually very punctual.”

“Whatever it is, I don’t like how long this meeting is dragging.”

“Yes… me neither.”

Langris crossed his arms and glared. Finral looked away and tried to count the number of tiles on the floor to pass the time. Langris _hated_ how difficult it was to keep a conversation with him. They always ended too quickly. Even when they managed to get a topic in, they didn’t know how to continue it.

It was frustrating.

Furthermore, it was clear that Marx wasn’t returning any time soon.

It only made Langris’ temper flare. He tapped his foot in annoyance and gave into his impulses. Unable to control his rising temper, he unleashed his irritation on Finral instead. His hand reached out and forcefully tugged the back of Finral’s robe. Finral cried out when his robe momentarily cut off his breathing. When the pressure was released, he turned to see his brother’s eyes glaring at him.

“Langris,” Finral whined. “What did I do?”

“Nothing yet, but you will.”

“What does that mean?”

“I don’t want you to embarrass me.” Langris huffed as his grip tightened. “You’ve done that plenty of times already in the past couple of years. You’re not going to embarrass me this time!”

“What?” Finral startled. “I would never do that!”

“Not on purpose!”

“I wouldn’t!”

Langris pulled Finral closer by yanking his robe forward. His eyes twitched when the sudden realization that Finral was too tall came to him. However, the message was still very clear with the way his fists clenched ever so slowly. Finral paled when Langris tugged harder and pulled him closer to his level.

The worst thing wasn’t Langris shouting.

It was him whispering his threat.

“I’m _this_ close to getting promoted, Brother.” Langris gritted through his teeth. “If you do _anything_ to ruin _my_ reputation, you’re dead to me. When I mean _anything,_ I meant everything. Do we have an understanding, Brother?”

“We do,” Finral nodded.

Langris released him just in time when the door opened.

* * *

**oOo**

“Quickly,” Marx urged. “We can’t keep them waiting any longer.”

“Relax, Marx.” Julius chuckled. “They’ll be fine.”

“This is the Vaude family we’re talking about.” He grimaced as he lightly pushed Julius to the right direction when he lagged behind. “It wouldn’t do well to insult them. It’s not just about their high nobility, which everyone in the kingdom knows about, but their connection to the king is something to look out for.”

“You worry too much, Marx.”

“I have to! You don’t!”

“I assure you,” Julius dismissed. “This won’t reach the king.”

Marx wanted to cry in a corner, because Julius was far too carefree for his own good, but he trusted him. Therefore, during the rest of the way, Marx kept silent. When they finally reached the door to the office, Julius suddenly paused.

“Stop worrying, Marx.” He said, placing a hand over his shoulder in a comforting manner. “I will handle this.”

Marx nodded. “Of course, Lord Julius.”

Julius opened the door and cheerfully greeted his guests. “Hello! Good morning!” He chuckled when the two jumped and parted from each other. “I hope you didn’t wait too long. I apologize for the delay, but I had something important that needed my attention.” Julius took his seat and Marx stood in his usual place beside him.

There was tension in the room.

Something happened.

“You two are well,” Julius asked. “I hope?”

“We are.” The two answered.

“I won’t make this any longer than necessary.” He smiled. “Do forgive me for doing this to the two of you at such short notice. I’m sure you know that your captains trust you when they handed in their recommendations. Therefore, in extension, I trust you two to make this work.”

Finral and Langris nodded in acknowledgement.

“I’m not sure how much your captains have told you, but this _system_ I want to introduce is to help further communications between our Magic Knight squads. There are times where one doesn’t have the necessary requirements like that of a certain mage to have an advantage over their missions. That is where you two will come along.”

Langris clarified, “You want us to cooperate with the opposite squad and make future missions successful.”

“And to get to know them as well.” Julius added. “But that is the very gist of it.”

“What happens after?” Finral asked.

“That depends on you two.” He chuckled as he arranged the documents on his table and handed a folder to his advisor. “Marx, if you would be so kind?” Marx took a step forward and pulled out two separate documents from the folder.

“I assume you two are prepared?”

The brothers nodded.

“Very well.” Marx sighed. “Then please sign these to confirm the temporary exchange.” They were each handed a pen and they quickly skimmed through the document. “To clarify, your ranks won’t matter. This is, after all, a test run. Every task you will do for three days, starting now, will be up to the captain of the squad you are assigned to.”

Julius added, “William and Yami will also evaluate your performance.”

“Yes, and every action you take will be recorded.”

“Recorded,” Finral swallowed. “That sounds reasonable.”

“ _Very_ reasonable.” Langris agreed.

The brothers signed and handed the papers back to Marx, who checked them and handed it back to Julius. Julius chuckled and stood up from his chair. “Wonderful.” He clapped his hand. “When the three days are finished, rest assured that you will be rewarded with merits and bonuses. In fact, for your participation alone, you are already awarded with merits.”

“Before we continue,” Marx asked. “Do any of you have any further questions?”

“I have a question.’ Langris voiced with trepidation. “When you meant _every_ task, do you mean everything?”

Julius answered the question. “Unfortunately, yes, but I wouldn’t worry about Yami. You are a very skillful Magic Knight, Langris. I’m sure he’ll put you to good use. And I do hope you gain something out of this experience.”

He raised his chin and smiled.

“Now,” He declared. “Before I give you over to Cob to port you to your temporary squad, I must ask you two to exchange robes.”

“What?!” They both gasped.

Marx paled.

Julius was enjoying this, he knew it.

“This is to ensure the experience will be believable.” The Wizard King happily explained. “And that the robes, while symbolic of your squads, mean very little when we are all working for the same purpose. Usually, I would have new robes tailored for you, but since you are brothers… an exchange like this would be… illustrative to the cause. I hope there won’t be a problem.”

Finral and Langris exchanged looks.

They were uncomfortable, but did they have a choice?

Both brothers gave in as they unclasped their robes and handed them over to each other. Langris was far more reluctant than Finral. While Finral was only slightly hesitant, it was due to the fact that his brother was going to end up in a completely different world than what he was used to.

Finally wearing each other’s robes, they had a hard time looking at each other.

It was just too… _strange_.

“We’re done.” Julius delightfully announced. “Once more, I thank you for agreeing to do this and I hope you try and make this experience memorable. When the third day is finished, we will collect you to be evaluated on your progress.” He paused and turned to Marx. “If you would please escort them to Cob, I would be very grateful.”

Marx nodded. “Yes, Lord Julius.”

The brothers thanked the Wizard King and followed Marx outside.

* * *

**oOo**

Finral was terrified.

His brother’s threat was still ringing in his ears.

_If you do anything to ruin my reputation, you’re dead to me._

Finral stared at Langris and his cheeks flushed red when he saw his brother wearing his Black Bull’s robe. It looked strange on him. Thankfully, Langris was wearing casual clothes and not his usual Golden Dawn uniform. The contrast between the white and the black would be too… noticeable.

Speaking of which, Finral wasn’t eager to wear the Golden Dawn robe.

Not because it didn’t look good on him, but because it felt wrong and that he didn’t deserve it. No wonder he felt a little disheartened when he had to give up his own robe to Langris. It was because Yami had given it to him and it meant that he was wanted.

He treasured it.

If he felt that way, then Langris must feel like he had been stripped of what he had earned too.

Having exchanged their rights to the robe must’ve been… insulting.

_Almost._

As they walked out of the building, Finral was distracted, still unable to get over Langris wearing his robe. The only time he snapped was when Langris tugged him close.

“Damage that robe, Brother,” Langris threatened. “And my words will be the least of your worries. If not for your sake, at least for mine, you’ll make this experiment a lot less painful. If you can’t even do it for me, at least try not to embarrass Captain Vangeance… or better yet, the Vaude name.”

With that, Langris walked away.

Finral sighed.

“I won’t do anything bad with it, I promise.” Finral mumbled, trying to keep up with his brother. A thought popped into his head and he couldn’t help but say it. “If I’m being honest… I’m actually worried about you, Langris.”

“Why would you be?” His brother scoffed. “I rank higher than you.”

“That’s not why.”

“You shouldn’t be worried.” Langris declared. “I wouldn’t call your squad— a squad. If you’re worried I can’t handle less than a dozen members, then I should be more worried about you handling more than thirty.”

Finral nervously chuckled. “That’s still not it.”

“How hard could it be?” Langris huffed. “I’m not you.”

His brother quickened his pace, probably to get away from him, and Finral could do nothing but stare at his back. Finral sighed to himself. He was used to Langris’ insults and sarcasm, so it didn’t bother him. He could make a decent effort while he was in the Golden Dawn, but Finral wasn’t sure how Langris would adjust once he met the rest of the Black Bulls.

“Langris,” Finral called.

“What?”

“Please,” He begged. “Just don’t kill anyone.”

Langris rolled his eyes and ignored him the rest of the way. Finral tried to catch up and tried to give him some advice, anything at all that would help Langris adjust, but Langris tuned him out. In Finral’s mind, he begged over and over for all of this to end.

 _“Please don’t let anything bad happen,”_ He thought.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please review and tell me what you think! Thank you~


	4. Accommodation (Black Bulls)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for the delay. Thank you for all the support and for being patient with me! :3 Also, you may have noticed the chapters increasing. I'm just as surprised as you are. These characters have a life of their own, but at least we get to explore more about the exchange.

A large, spatial door opened and Langris walked out.

He was greeted by an unsightly view of the Black Bull’s base.

Before he could make an indecent comment, Cob popped his head out of the portal. “Enjoy your stay!” He cheerfully voiced. “I’ll return for you and your brother after three days.” He waved his goodbye and the spatial door closed and faded away.

Langris sighed.

He wasn’t even a minute in and he wanted to turn around. He was never confident about the squad trade in the first place, but he wasn’t about to disappoint Captain Vangeance by ruining this. However, he wasn’t really optimistic about his stay; not when the base looked like it was going to collapse from a gentle breeze.

 _“It’s atrocious.”_ He thought. _”Who even designed this?”_

The base was a large, multistory monstrosity full of inconsistent structures. One would think a child designed it and simply stuck pieces of different houses together.

None of them were even leveled.

Langris rolled his eyes.

He had been here before when Finral first started out as a Magic Knight. He never really went beyond the doors. He wasn’t happy about going in and living in this dump for three days. Everything was shabby and old. He could barely believe Finral was fine with this living condition, and this was _just_ the outside.

 _“Seriously,”_ He thought. _“This should be against building regulations.”_

He sighed, having no choice but to continue forward. He moved to the entrance and raised his hand to knock on the door. He didn’t get a chance because the door opened and Langris was faced with his new captain.

Yami’s eyes lingered over him and settled on the robe.

Did he recognize it was his brother’s?

“So it’s you.” Yami sighed, sounding a little disappointed. “Should’ve known Vangeance would pull a stunt like this. Oh well. I should probably be grateful.”

“Is that supposed to mean something?”

“Only if you want it to.” He shrugged. “Get inside.”

Langris was cautious when Yami moved aside to give him room. Langris tried his hardest not to cringe when he entered the living room. _Of course_ there would be a bar. Why the hell would Langris expect any less from a squad full of ruffians? Langris opened his mouth to ask a few questions when Yami walked past him and settled on the nearby chair to read his newspaper.

“Welcome to the Black Bulls.” Yami deadpanned. “Feel free to do whatever you want.”

_What the hell was wrong with this squad?!_

Langris grimaced. He had so many questions. First of all, how was it possible that the Black Bulls were able to function for so long as a Magic Knight squad?! Where was everyone? There should be at least a few inside the complex. Were they even informed about his arrival? Langris concluded that with a captain like Yami, it was most likely not the case. He tightened his hold on his shoulder bag, not daring to move. Was Yami seriously going to leave him hanging?

Before Langris could argue about propriety, someone walked into the living room.

He couldn’t help but stare at her.

_What was she wearing?!_

The lady was tall and beautiful, and she was showered with different shades of pink. However, her clothes were too revealing as it cut from the middle of her chest and ended just above her navel. Raised in a proper house with manners, Langris politely moved his gaze when she approached him.

“Hello!” She greeted. “You must be the volunteer!”

Langris kept his gaze locked with hers.

He wasn’t expecting her to approach him seductively and change the tone of her voice into something sultrier. “My name’s Vanessa.” She bent down, exposing a little more of her bosom. A finger slid underneath Langris’ chin and lifted it higher so they were leveled. “To think a cutie like you would end up here. What’s your name, little boy?”

Politely, he pushed her hand away.

“Langris Vaude,” He said as his cheeks reddened. “Pleasure to meet you.”

“Vaude?” Vanessa blinked.

She turned to Yami in shock. Yami dropped his newspaper and stared at Vanessa. “You’re looking at Finral’s younger brother.” He explained and turned to Langris. “Say hello to Vanessa. She’s one of the oldest members in this squad. You’ll find everyone else around somewhere.”

Langris nodded to that.

“So, Langris, right?” Vanessa asked as she straightened herself. “Looks like fate brought you here for a reason. I’m sure you’ll have fun. Does Finral know you’re here to volunteer?”

“We saw each other this morning.” He answered.

“Great.” She said in delight and nudged him out the door. “Come on. Since you’re Finral’s little brother, allow me to tour you. If he were here, he’ll try and make sure your stay is as comfortable as possible. Since he’s not, I’ll do that for him.” She turned to Yami. “Captain! You won’t mind if I steal him from you?”

“Go ahead.” Yami mumbled.

“Thank you!”

Langris grimaced when he realized that this woman had no boundaries. She was talkative and a little loud. Not to mention that strange first impression. Where was she expecting to go with that introduction anyway? Langris tried to ignore the implications as Vanessa guided him down the dark hallway. He couldn’t let go of what she had done. He reminded himself that this was one of Finral’s squad members, but he couldn’t shake off the thought that Finral was a little girl crazy.

Surely this woman caught his eye.

He wondered, “Are you and my brother close?”

“Are you asking if we’re together?” She teased and noticed the immediate redness on Langris’ face. “Don’t worry. We’re not. Finral and I are good friends.”

“I see.” He mumbled.

Langris wasn’t sure if he should be happy or weirded out. He knew how much Finral’s demeanor changed for different types of women. Having what Langris would call a _distraction_ for his brother’s bad habits wasn’t something he’d enjoy knowing. But so long as Vanessa said they were friends and his brother was doing his job, Langris shouldn’t really care.

“Do you want to hear about Finral’s first time living inside the base?”

Langris allowed Vanessa to lighten the mood by telling him a story about his brother.

However, he wasn’t really interested in Finral’s life. But now that he was finally within his brother’s territory, he might as well be a little more concerned. None of the things he had seen so far were… _practical._ For example, he noticed how dark the hallway was. Unlike the Golden Dawn, there were barely any lamps to light the way.

 _“Would it kill them to install a few light fixtures?_ ”

Someone could trip.

“— it took time for Finral to get used to the place.” Vanessa finished her story. “Anyways, this is the dining area.” She gestured. “Sometimes we eat here or in the living room.”

Langris’ eyes widened.

He expected a small room, but this was larger than he had imagined.

There were so many long tables and chairs, good enough to seat at least thirty members. But what surprised him more was the difference compared to the Golden Dawn’s pristine dining area. Where the Golden Dawn had chandeliers and large, arched windows with thin, white curtains the Black Bulls' dining area looked more like a rundown bar somewhere in the lower towns.

“Like it?” Vanessa chuckled. “You can come down any time and find Charmy if you’re hungry.”

“Charmy?” Langris asked.

“She’s another squad member. She cooks for us.”

Before Langris could ask, something soft bumped into him.

Immediately, his manners overtook him and he apologized. He turned, looked down, and found himself faced with a flock of sheep standing by the door. Every single one of them was holding different dishes on a silver tray. The sheep in front of him bleated softly. Langris moved aside and the flock moved to the table and neatly arranged the dishes together.

“Surprised?” Vanessa grinned. “Those are Charmy’s Sheep Cooks.”

One of the sheep moved and offered Vanessa a small piece of colorful pastry. She took one and the sheep moved to Langris and offered him another piece. Not wanting to be rude, Langris reluctantly took a bite.

He wouldn’t admit it, but it tasted good.

Before he could convince Vanessa to show him to his room, he felt someone tug his sleeves. Langris looked down and this time, it was a little child. What would a child be doing in a Magic Knight’s base?! Langris stared at her and noticed the Black Bull’s robe. Surely they weren’t recruiting so young. That was against the law.

“Try this one!” The child said, offering Langris a plate. “It’s delicious!”

“No, thank you.” Langris refused. “I’m full.”

“Charmy,” Vanessa greeted. “You’re just in time!” _Wait? What?! This was her?!_ “Charmy, this is Langris.” She introduced. “He’s Finral’s little brother.” Shock aside, Langris disliked the way they introduced him only as Finral’s little brother. “Langris, this is Charmy. She makes all the meals for the Black Bulls.”

“What’s your favorite food?” Charmy randomly asked.

Langris made a face as he struggled to keep his composure. “I’m not a picky eater.” He said. He wasn’t about to admit to these people that he loved _Cherry Tarts._ That was exposing personal information and Langris wasn’t about to divulge something like that.

“I remember Finral said you loved Cherry Tarts.” Vanessa revealed. “Why don’t you make some for our guest, Charmy?”

Langris turned beet red.

Why would his brother mentioned that to them?!

“That’s great!” Charmy cheered as she ordered her sheep cooks to head to the kitchen. “Cherry Tarts are delicious! I’ll cook it extra special for you since you’re new here! I’ll be right back!”

“Thank you, Charmy!” Vanessa giggled. “Langris and I will leave you to it. We still need to tour the entire base and meet the others.”

“Okay!” She replied. “Come back for your meal!”

“Thank you.” Langris mumbled.

Vanessa guided him out of the dining area and toured him around the rest of the base.

They stopped just before the intersection to the stairs.

“Be careful and try not to wander through that hallway.” She pointed at a much darker, more ominous hallway. “That’s where the captain keeps the magical beasts. They only really follow the captain.” She chuckled. “Sometimes Finral tries to feed them if no one else is available. We can’t go down there because they’re sleeping— wouldn’t want to disturb their rest.” She gestured to the other hall. “Come on, there’s more upstairs.”

“You must be joking.”

“About?”

“You don’t _really_ have magical beasts in your base.”

“We do.” She smiled, seemingly enjoying the advantage of being more knowledgeable of their base. “You should see them in the morning before they’ve eaten. Maybe the captain would even let you feed them.”

Langris remained silent.

He wasn’t sure he liked that idea if what she was saying were true. Who kept magical beasts as pets anyway? Then again, this was _Yami Sukehiro_ , captain of the Black Bulls and labeled Lord of Destruction. As a foreigner, perhaps Yami thought that was natural. Not that Langris was curious, but if he had the time, he would check it out to see if Vanessa was bluffing or not.

Such a thing shouldn’t be left unsupervised.

They went upstairs and Vanessa showed him the library.

“It’s very dusty.” Langris commented.

“No one really uses it.” She shrugged. “Finral usually port to the Royal Library or the library at the Investigations Department. Most of the books here are outdated and are mostly for display.”

“Of course.”

“Let’s move on, shall we?”

As they went through the rest of the available rooms, Langris disliked the idea of this exchange more and more. Vanessa showed him the men’s toilet and bathing room. He was surprised to find out that they were shared by all the squad members.

How did his brother not find this alarming?!

When they passed another hall, Langris was surprised when he felt someone following them. He turned around and a tall man was right behind them. He would’ve attacked if it wasn’t for the robe on the man’s shoulders.

“Gordon,” Vanessa scolded. “You really shouldn’t sneak up on people.”

He muttered something back, but none of them could hear it.

“Langris, this is Gordon.” Vanessa gestured. “He’s another older member. He doesn’t talk much, but he’s nice. Gordon, this is Langris. He’s Finral’s younger brother. Surprising, isn’t it? Who knew he would be the volunteer?”

Gordon waved at him.

Langris blankly stared at the creepy smile Gordon was giving him. Thankfully, it wasn’t a long encounter. He and Vanessa quickly bid their farewell and continued with the tour. So far, Langris had only met a couple of them. Shouldn’t there be a few more?

“Will we meet the rest of your squad on the way to my room?”

“Maybe,” Vanessa shrugged as she lifted her fingers to count. “The only ones you haven’t met are Gauche, Grey, and Henry. Grey is somewhere in the base. I’ll introduce you when we find them. As for Henry, we’ll see him in a bit. You won’t be able to meet Gauche though. He’s on a mission.”

“Gauche… Adlai?” Langris wondered.

“Yes. That’s his name.”

“The ex-convict?”

“Don’t let him hear you say that.” She softly warned. “He’s cleaning himself up. The captain wouldn’t have taken him in if he didn’t see anything interesting.”

“I noticed.” Langris replied.

He tried to be polite, but so far, he couldn’t find anything appealing about any of Finral’s squad members. Sure, they were unique individuals, but how was it possible for them to function as an active Magic Knight’s squad? No wonder they were always at the bottom. Not a single one of them looked like they were capable of fighting.

 _“Please let this be over,”_ He thought.

He thought he had seen everything— from weird squad members, to shared bathrooms, to a possibility of living under the same roof with magical beasts, and the most minor thing in this whole mess were the ugly designs… but no… Langris was surprised when Vanessa led them to another room and knocked on the door. Someone answered for them to come in. Vanessa opened the door and Langris stared at the man on the bed. He looked very sick and his hair was way too long and bushy to be called normal.

“Henry,” Vanessa smiled. “Meet our guest.”

“Hello,” Henry waved. “I’m… Henry.”

“Langris Vaude.” He politely replied. “Pleasure to meet you.”

Vanessa introduced, “He’s Finral’s little brother.”

Once more, Langris grimaced at the continued repetition. Apparently, the only thing relevant to them was his familial status with Finral and Langris wasn’t sure why that was so important to know. It wasn’t like it meant anything. Before Langris could try and control the situation for himself, he paused when he felt his mana draining ever so slowly.

“Henry has a condition,” Vanessa whispered. “Try not to get too close.”

“I’m… sorry…” Henry apologized.

“It’s fine.” Langris answered. “It’s not as if you’re taking a lot.”

“That’s why you shouldn’t get close.” Vanessa winked and turned to Henry. “Do you have any extra rooms for Langris?”

“Right… above.” He answered. “Near… the stairs.”

“Alright, thank you, Henry!” She delightfully said. “We’ll be going now. Charmy’s almost done preparing. I’ll let her know to bring you up some food.”

“Thank… you.”

Vanessa nudged Langris out the door, but Langris couldn’t help but stare at Henry, who was waving back. Just before the door closed, Langris noticed a Black Bull's robe draped over the side table. They were joking, weren’t they? Unless that man had recently taken a mission… it was impossible for him to be a Magic Knight, let alone be an active one.

“Come on,” Vanessa cheered. “The sooner you get to your room, the faster you can unpack and tell us stories about you and Finral.”

Langris wasn’t looking forward to that at all.

He remained silent and contemplating as Vanessa led him the rest of the way. He was very confused. Who were these people and how the hell did Yami even find them— let alone recruit them?! None of them seemed credible.

So many questions ran through his head. 

Were any of them capable of fighting?! Okay, scratch that question… Finral wasn’t a fighter and Yami recruited him, so it must’ve been the same case for the others. First there was Vanessa, was she going to use her appeal and seduce strangers? Then there was that tiny girl with the sheep. What was she going to do, feed people to death? The tall, quiet, and creepy one might be able to do something to his enemies. But the one that stumped Langris the most was Henry.

It was just impossible.

Langris tried to stop himself from judging too quickly, but it wasn’t as if they were making an effort not to look or sound weird. So that was their fault. So to stop himself from thinking badly of these people without attempting to actually get to know them, Langris decided to judge the base instead. The place looked like it hadn’t been cleaned in years. And not once had Langris seen any maintenance mage to keep the place intact. He knew just from looking that not a single member in this squad had lifted a finger in attempting cleanliness.

Should they ever use Langris as an excuse to have the base cleaned, he had a fair argument to make.

He was no one’s manservant.

At this point, Langris had low expectations of his room.

When they reached it, he wasn’t surprised to find it dusty and way smaller than his own sleeping quarters in the Golden Dawn. There wasn’t even a private bathroom.

“Here you go.” Vanessa gestured. “You remember how to go downstairs?”

“Yes.” Langris nodded. “Thank you for the tour.”

“Look at you, being so polite.” She teased. “You sound like Finral.” Once more, he couldn’t stop himself from blushing at the unwanted comparison. “When you’re feeling a bit more comfortable, you can call me Big Sister, okay?” She laughed at Langris’ confused expression and moved out of the way. “I’ll leave you to unpack. Maybe later, we can introduce you to Grey. See you later!”

When the door closed, Langris just about _died._

He was exhausted.

Langris placed his bag on the bed and walked over to the window for some fresh air. Even the window sill was dusty and some of the wood was worn out. Langris grimaced as he tried to calm himself down. He shouldn’t lose his temper now. He was trying to make a good impression for Captain Vangeance’s sake, but it was increasingly difficult when he was surrounded by mistakes.

 _“Three days,”_ He told himself. _“Just endure it.”_

His mind went to Finral and he couldn’t help but scowl.

_“You’re probably having the time of your life, aren’t you, Brother?”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The calm before the storm. Please review and tell me what you think~ Thank you!


End file.
